Kokoda Coffee

Coffee was first introduced to Papua New Guinea in the early 1920's. The colonists and missionaries brought with them coffee saplings so they could continue their addiction to a coffee first thing in the morning.  Coffee took to the tropical climate immediately. Once the missionaries saw how well the coffee grew on the land, they started to teach the locals on how to grow this plant, so as to foster a cash agri-based economy. The coffee growers in Papua New Guinea aligned themselves initially with commodity houses in Europe. This started the West’s love of Papua New Guinea coffee.

In the early 1964, while Papua New Guinea was a colony of Australia, the Australian government established the "Coffee Marketing Board", which later became the “Coffee Industry Corporation”, to manage Papua New Guinea's hugely successful coffee market. They provided local training and education on the proper processing methods. Coffee trading was introduced,  to ensure that the majority of local growers, who were uneducated, got a fair deal when selling their coffee overseas. The Corporation is still operative today, and is fully owned by local stakeholders.

So the next reason why coffee, or in fact any agricultural produce from Papua New Guinea is so good can be answered very simply.

An Arabica coffee tree in Papua New Guinea

It’s an ideal combination of perfect soil and climatic conditions. The young volcanic soil is rich with natural nutrients and the high rainfall, tropical sun and humidity are ideal growing conditions for almost any plant.

A few plantations in Papua New Guinea grow coffee the modern way, which is in fields without shade, in order to increase yield and decrease husbandry time. This forced production of the plant results in decreased quality of the end coffee.

Papua New Guinea coffee is one of the few coffees considered to be a ‘champagne’ or ‘stand alone’ coffee.  Papua New Guinean coffees do not need to be blended with other origin coffees from overseas to improve the taste and flavour. The depth and range of Papua New Guinean coffees are unmatched!

Whatever you are looking for in a coffee, be it the strength, the flavour, the aftertaste or one of the other myraid characteristics of a superb coffee, Papua New Guinean coffee has what you are looking for.

To start your Journey of Coffee into the production process, please click here or use the menu to your left.